Are you still deciding whether or not you are going to purchase that garbage disposal that you have been thinking of for days now? To help you make a decision, weigh the pros and cons of it and see for yourself if you really need it at home.

PROS

Convenience

Technology has been known to make things easier for everybody. The garbage disposal is another invention that helps people make their work much easier. It cuts down the effort and time used to clean the dishes after meals. Instead of cleaning your plate on the trash bin, you can do it directly on the sink.

Hygiene

One source of nasty smell in the house is the garbage can where you would usually throw your food scraps and leftovers. It is also a cause for rats and bugs to keep coming back in your home. A garbage disposal keeps your home more hygienic by eliminating the need to collect rotting compost in garbage cans in the house.

Clear Pipes

Garbage disposals grind food scraps into really tiny bits – mircrons smaller. When your food scraps get accidentally pushed down the sink drain and you do not have a garbage disposal, tendencies are those food scraps would get stuck and would clog your pipes. You might need a professional repairman to unclog it for you. A garbage disposal would grind those wastes to the tiniest pieces, making it easier for you to flush them down with just water.

CONS

Price

Garbage disposals can be really pricey depending on the brand and the model. You might need to break your budget when you decide to get one to add to your new kitchen. You might also spend some on repairs as it would get broken if you’re not careful in using it.

Selected Items

A garbage disposal can only grind certain things. In order for it not to get clogged or damaged easily, there are some things that you cannot shove down there. Fibrous waste like banana peels and corn husks are just some of the food wastes you cannot have your garbage disposal grind. This is because the fibers could wind themselves around the blade and would cause the machine to jam. Others like grease, pasta, and potato peels are also some of avoided food scraps. You would still need to segregate your food wastes before running the machine.

High Bills

When you run your garbage disposal, you would be using electricity. You would also need to run the water while the machine is grinding, and a bit more after that. Although some newer and better models uses up much less electricity and require smaller amount of water, you would still notice an increase in your bills.

Environment Friendly?

This issue is still being argued about by pro and anti-garbage disposals. Pro would say that using a garbage disposal would lessen your use of plastic bags or garbage liners. Also, it would reduce carbon footprint by lessening the methane produced by landfills where organic wastes are being processed. Cons would claim that the use of water and energy to let the machine run makes it not eco-friendly.

If you want more detailed comparisons on different garbage disposals, check out this Badger 5xp review here.